Hat-strap.



A. SMITH, JR.

HAT STRAP.

APPLlCATION FILED JAN. 1. l9l8.

Patented June 11, 1918.

I r: lidl/EflTO/f ALLEN SMITH, .73., OF THE UNITEIl STATES ARMY.

HAT-STRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented une 11L, 191%.

Application filed January 7, 191a. Serial'No. 210,593.

To all whom'z't may concern Be it known that I, ALLEN SMITH, Jr., lieutenant colonel in the U. S. Army, a citizen of the United States, whose present address is Camp Lewis, near the city of Tacoma, in the county of Pierce and State of Washington, have invented new and useful Improvements in Hat-Straps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention pertains to hat straps used to hold the hat securely on the head when the wearer is actively engaged in outdoor life; and the objects of my invention are, first, to provide a hat strap that will hold the hat securely, evenly and comfortably to the front and back of the head alike; second, to provide a hat strap that the wearer can readily attach to the hat and easily adjust the same to fit the head; and third, to provide'a hat strap that can be evenly adjusted to each side of the hat without the use of buckles and will hold the hat cordin place. i

I attain these objects by means of the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings in whichz Figure 1 is a side View of a hatwithmy improved hat stra attached thereto and adjusted to the hea a part of the hat'brim being omitted to ermit aview of the device.

Fig.2 is a full size view of the hat strap and lacing cord attachment to the hat, a part of the hat brim being shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a top view of Fig. 1.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts in the several views.

Heretofore hat straps have had their ends attached to the hat brim, band or cord at one point only on each side of the hat. With the strap under the back of the head these single points of attachment cause the front of the hat only to be held down securely, while the back of the hat, with a rear wind, will be lifted and cause an un comfortable sensation of being blown off. If the strap is worn under the chin, the experience w1ll be reversed. The strap thus attached is somewhat crude and has a tendency to injure the hat by pulling it out of shape. The strap has to be provided with a buckle with WhlCll to adjust it to the head, and with this means cannot always be done perfectly.

I obviate these several defects by my invention which consists of a single piece of leather strap 1 having its ends provided with suitable loop-shaped eyelets 2 made fliat and elongated to conform with the width of thestrap. A lacing string or cord 3 of suitable length provides a means of attaching the strap 1 to the hat 4, and in combinationwith the loop ends of the strap, forms thebasic novelty of my invention.

My invention is especially adapted to military and other hats where a uniform hat cord is commonly used, though it may be used on any form of hat. I have shown it as applied to the ordinary army hat a where a military hat cord 5 is used and held together by a front slip knot 6 at its ends. To attach my newly invented hat strap to the hat, I take the lacing string or cord 3, which is made similar to a fine quality of shoe lace with metal end tips, and put one end through the slip knot 6 and draw the center point of the string 3 to the slip knot. Two small holes are then put through the hat brim below the hat cord 5 on each side of the hat, as indicated at 7 and 8 in the several views. These are spaced a suitable distance apart, the space between occupyingthecenter of the sides of the hat. The left hand end of the string 3 is then put down through the fronthole 7 on the left sideof the hat, and through the left flat loop eyelet 2 of the strap 1, then up through therear hole 8, on up back of the military hat cord 5' and then down over theoutside of said military hat cord, then backward under the lacing string 3 betweenthehole 8 and the side of hat 4 and then up over the outside of the lower cord of said military hat cord and finally in between the two" cords of the hat cord through a hole punched in the side of the hat as indicated in Fig. 1 and more clearly shown in Fig. 2. The string 1 is now drawn tightly about the military hat cord leaving a loop of suitable length below the hat brim on which the flat loop eyelet 2 can slip and adjust itself. The unused end of the lacing string 3 is smoothly laid in back of the leather sweat band inside of the hat.

The right hand end of the lacing string 3 is then passed to the right side of the hat and attached to the right hand fiat loop eyelet of the strap 1 as described for the left side end, and the hat strap is then completely attached for service.

It is to be observed the looping of the lacing string 3 about the military hat cord 5 when drawn tight makes a secure fasteneach side of the head can be made of equal" length by drawing the lacing string 3 to the right or left 1 through the slip knot 6 as unay be necessary to evenly adjust them. It will be observed the flat loop eyelets 2 will easily slip on string 3 and so iadjust itself that the strain will be-equal at holes 7 and Sand the hat Will {be held comfortably and evenly on both the .front and back of the head at all times.

It ais'to befurther observed the passing of the lacing string-3 through theslip knot-6 and fastening its ends to the military ihat cord 15 above the rear holes .8 atrthe sides of the hat. securely holds the said military shat cord in placeon the hat thus saving the labor of sewin liton.

Thefiat el ongated eyelets Qcanbe-madc by bending a loop on the ends ofstrap 1, but theyarepreferably to bemade of metal or other hard substance .in order that they WilLcasily slip and notbind on the string 3. The strap 1 maybe made of two parts Ifastened together with a buckle, but .the adjustablesidc loops formed by the string 3 make a buckle. superfluous.

In case my invention is i110 be attached to a hat Without a militaryhat cord,ithe string 3 is to .bezput about thefront of .the hatand side loops formed below the hat brim ias heretofore described :and the ends fastened by,looping through a multiple ofholes near the rear holes 8.

It is 'to be observed .that my invention can be easily attached to .a hat by anyone. It can also be .as readily detached .and .laid aside fora season when desired.

Havingdescribed my invention 1 claim 1. A hat strap having flat metallic eyelets fixed on each end thereof, .eachof said eyeletsattached .to the opposite sides of .a hat by an adjustable string loop therethrough, each of said loops formed by a afront;andrearcholeiinithe brim on opposite sides of said hat, and each end of said string fastened by passing through a multiple of holes near its respective rearhole 'intheside-brim of said hat.

.2. A hat strap having flat eyelets of suitable material fixed on each end thereof, each of said eyelets attached to theoppositesides of a military hat by an ustable string .loop therethrongln each of said loops formed by a lacing string aroundthe front and through the slip knot of the military hat cord ofsaid hat ,and:the ends ofsaid string passed through a front and rear hole in the brim on-opposite sides of said hat,.and each end of said string fastened by looping around the said military hat cord, of said hat'above said rear holes, and between the cords of saidmilitary hat cord to the inside of said hat, all substantiall as described and ifor the purposes set 01152.

3.. Ahat strap having flat-loop eyelets of suitable material on each end thereof, an adjustable string loop througheach of said eyelets, reach of said :loops attached to the opposite sides of ahat at points in front and .back of the center ofthe side's ofsaid hat, a .uniform hat cord on saidhat and said uniformi-hat cord held in. place by the lacing string composing said string :loops passing around the front of said hat and through the slip knot of said uniform hat cord and said lacing string havingitsends securely looped aboutsaid guniforrn hatcord onthe oppositesides of said hat as shown and desoribedand forthepurposes set forth.

A .hat strap ,having a flataloop eyelet oneachend thereof, each of said eyelets attached to opposite sides of alhatbyan adjustable string gloop therethrough and the ends of said loopssattached to opposite sides ofsaidhat through holes at points in front and back of the center of said oppositesides ofsaid hat.

ALLEN SMITH, JR.

.Oepiup! .thil patent. maynbe obtained r101 five cents each, rbyiafldressing s'the- Commissioner otiatentg,

-washington, I). c." 7 

